Want to know more about what’s happening on Capitol Hilland how you can get involved with NSBA’s advocacy efforts? Need a better understanding of a specific federal program or regulation? Or just wondering how you can best use education data to improve student learning in your district?
Members of NSBA’s legislative advocacy staff and the Center for Public Education, NSBA’s independent research arm, will lead numerous sessions on issues that will affect school boards and education policies. Below is a list of the sessions that address the current and most pressing topics:
Friday, April 81:30 4:30 p.m.Pre-Conference Session: The Data Made Me Do It! Using Data for Continuous School
Moscone Convention Center, Room 131
Data is fundamental to effective school board governance but many school board members are not experts in education data. Explore how you can use data to set goals, align resources, and monitor actions to improve outcomes for their students. This data-decision making entitled “Good Measures for Good School Governance” was developed by NSBA’s Center for Public Education in partnership with state school boards associations in California, Illinois, and Michigan.
Presenters: Patte Barth, Kathy Gemberling, Center for Public Education
Saturday, April 989:30 a.m.
Special Event; National Networks Meeting (Federal Relations Network and National Affiliate Advocacy Network)
Moscone Convention Center, Room 222-226
Join NSBA’s advocacy staff to learn about new Congressional education initiatives, such as pending revisions to the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, federal funding, vouchers and what the new childhood nutrition reauthorization means for your school district. Build the skills and confidence to become more involved in the federal policy arena.
Presenters: Kathleen Branch, Lucy Gettman, Deborah Rigsby, Roberta Stanley & Katherine Shek, NSBA Advocacy staff members
Saturday, April 98:309:45 a.m.
21st Century Learning: Are Your Students Developing 21st Century Skills? Assessments You Can Implement Now to Find Out
Moscone Convention Center, Room 306
21st Century students need 21st Century instruction, and school boards need some means for knowing that they’re getting it. NSBA’s Center for Public Education has produced a toolkit specifically for school boards to help them set policies and engage their communities in assessing students’ abilities to think creatively and critically about the subjects they learn. Attendees to this session will test their knowledge on sample 21st Century assessments and learn strategies for implementing similar assessments in their districts. Come with your thinking caps on, but leave your number two pencils at home.
Presenter: Patte Barth, CPE
Saturday, April 999:30 a.m.
Special Event: Discussion with Special Assistant to U.S. Secretary of Education regarding Race to the Top Program
Moscone Convention Center, Room 222-226
Immediately following the National Networks Meeting, Ms. Ann Whalen, Special Assistant to U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, will be leading a discussion to solicit feedback about the Race to the Top Program in preparation for a newly proposed round of funding directly to local school districts. Please join other school board members to share your insights, provide recommendations, and determine whether this would be a grant opportunity your school district might be interested in pursuing.
Saturday, April 912:302 p.m.
Special Events: National Networks Luncheon (Federal Relations Network and National Affiliate Advocacy Network)
San Francisco Marriott Marquis, Salon 1-3
Jim Brazell, a technology forecaster, strategist, and public speaker will provide the keynote address, Messaging Innovation and K-12 Investment in a Sound Byte World. Mr. Brazell will present anecdotes about learning, innovation, and 21st century skills relevant to our current legislative environment. He will share stories of intrigue, novelty, humor, and factto help position and message often difficult ideas in simple sound byte stories. This ticketed event is open to all Conference registrants. Tickets must be purchased in advance at the Conference registration area.
Saturday, April 912:302 p.m.
ESEA Update: Local School Board Issues & Priorities
Moscone Convention Center, Room 103 (Repeated Monday, 12:15-1:30 PM; Same room)
With Congressional leaders having voiced their commitment to the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), local school boards have an opportunity to discuss their priorities and the legislative process. This session will address such issues as common core standards, assessments, teacher and principal effectiveness, accountability, and new requirements that may influence the implementation of the new law.
Presenter: Roberta Stanley, NSBA Advocacy staff
Saturday, April 91:302:45 p.m.
Preparing Students for Graduation and Beyond
Moscone Convention Center, Room 250-262
Preparing all students for college and the workforce has come to the forefront of education discussions in recent years. The Center for Public Education’s senior policy analyst Jim Hull will take you through what schools can do to keep students on-track to graduate as well as demonstrate what knowledge and skills students need to be prepared for life after high school in the 21st century.
Saturday, April 92:153:15 p.m.
Special Event: NSBA’s Pre- K Legislative Committee
San Francisco Marriott Marquis, Pacific H
Hear the latest on Pre-K initiatives and research.
Presenters: Lucy Gettman, Katherine Shek, Kathleen Branch, NSBA Advocacy staff, Patte Barth, CPE
Saturday, April 93:304:30 p.m.
Special Event: NSBA’s Teacher and Principal Effectiveness Legislative Committee
San Francisco Marriott Marquis, Pacific H
Hear the latest on teacher and principal effectiveness.
Presenters: Lucy Gettman, Katherine Shek, NSBA Advocacy staff, Patte Barth, CPE
Saturday, April 93:45 PM5:00 PM
Building a Network of Education Activists in Your Community
Moscone Convention Center, Room 103
Learn from the NSBA advocacy staff how to create a strong network and build coalitions in your community to support advocacy initiatives for public education. By involving the larger community and other organizations, school boards can create a larger presence at both the federal and state levels to influence public education legislation.
Presenters: Kathleen Branch, Deborah Rigsby, NSBA Advocacy staff
Sunday, April 108:309:45 a.m.
Sharpen Your Lobbying Skills for Effective Meetings with Members of Congress
Moscone Convention Center, Room 103
In this interactive session, learn how to get the most out of a face-to-face meeting with members of Congress. Viewing NSBA’s video on How to Lobby Your Members of Congress (Part I) you will learn strategies for gaining control of the meetings and getting a stronger commitment from your members of Congress. You will also strengthen your lobbying skills through role-play of a meeting.
Presenter: Kathleen Branch, Lucy Gettman & Katherine Shek, NSBA Advocacy staff
Sunday, April 108:309:45 a.m.
Charter Schools: Finding Out the Facts
Moscone Convention Center, Room 307
Charter schools are one of the most controversial subjects in education today. Some claim they will save public education while others fear they will destroy it. Unfortunately such claims are rarely based on facts. The Center for Public Education’s senior policy analyst Jim Hull will provide you with the facts on how effective charter schools really are and what policies impact their effectiveness. National School Boards Association’s (NSBA) director of federal affairs Roberta Stanley will provide an update on what is happening with federal charter school legislation.
Presenters: Roberta Stanley, NSBA Advocacy staff, Jim Hull, CPE
Sunday, April 101:302:45 p.m.
From Data Collection to Data Use: Shifting the Paradigm to Quality
Moscone Convention Center, Room 130
Effective data use begins with access to high quality data that is appropriate for particular district roles?school boards, administrators or teachers?and is delivered in a timely actionable format. Representatives from the Data Quality Campaign and NSBA’s Center for Public Education will discuss ways districts can navigate the state/district relationship around data use and will share best practices with regard to linking teacher and student data that is critical to inform local decision making.
Presenters: Patte Barth, Center for Public Education, Paige Kowalski & Rebecca Shah, Data Quality Campaign
Sunday, April 101:302:45 p.m.
Burning Hot Topics on Capitol Hill
Moscone Convention Center, Room 120
Every day on Capitol Hill and at the Department of Education decisions are being made that affect your district. This is your chance to learn about the latest issues and how your National Affiliate dollars are being used to influence those efforts on your behalf.
Presenters: Kathleen Branch, Lucy Gettman, Deborah Rigsby, Roberta Stanley, & Katherine Shek, NSBA Advocacy staff
Sunday, April 103:154:30 p.m.
CUBE: Urban Advocacy Skills Building
How to Tell the Urban Public Education Story: An Important Tool for Successful Advocacy
Moscone Convention Center, Room 200-212
Learn from NSBA’s advocacy staff how to successfully share local impact data to influence legislation on the federal level and how to conduct effective meetings with members of Congress.
Presenters, Kathleen Branch, Deborah Rigsby, NSBA Advocacy staff
Monday, April 1189:15 a.m.
National Education Spotlight: Legislative Update
Moscone Convention Center, Room 103
Join NSBA’s advocacy staff to learn about new Congressional education initiatives impacting student achievement and school delivery of educational services. Expand your knowledge about federal legislation and policy and how you can get involved with NSBA’s advocacy.
Presenters: Kathleen Branch, Lucy Gettman, Deborah Rigsby, Roberta Stanley, Katherine Shek, NSBA Advocacy staff
Monday, April 1112:151:30 p.m.
ESEA Update: Local School Board Issues & Priorities
Moscone Convention Center, Room 103 (Repeated from Saturday)
With Congressional leaders having voiced their commitment to the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), local school boards have an opportunity to discuss their priorities and the legislative process. This session will address such issues as common core standards, assessments, teacher and principal effectiveness, accountability, and new requirements that may influence the implementation of the new law.
Presenter: Roberta Stanley, NSBA Advocacy staff
